Freiwilligen-Legion Flandern

The Flemish Legion, officially known as the Freiwilligen-Legion Flandern, was a unit of Dutch-speaking Flemish volunteers from Belgium who joined Nazi Germany's war effort, primarily motivated by anti-communism and Flemish nationalist aspirations. Formed in 1941, it initially served in the Wehrmacht before being absorbed into the Waffen-SS in 1943. Many volunteers were recruited from the Vlaams Nationaal Verbond (VNV), a Flemish fascist party that cooperated with the German occupiers. The Legion first saw combat on the Eastern Front, fighting against Soviet forces in Ukraine under harsh conditions. Uniforms initially followed Wehrmacht styling, later shifting to Waffen-SS field grey, featuring SS runes on the right collar tab, rank insignia on the left, a “Flandern” cuff title, and sometimes a Flemish lion sleeve shield. The unit's first commander was SS-Sturmbannführer Michael Lippert, a German officer, though command tensions and cultural frictions led to changes in leadership. After heavy losses, the unit was reorganized into SS-Sturmbrigade Langemarck, eventually forming the core of the 27th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division “Langemarck” (1st Flemish) in 1944. The Legion's legacy is tied to Flemish collaboration and remains a sensitive historical topic in Belgium.